Why the King's coronation bank holiday may not be the boost that the pub industry needs

The coronation bank holiday may not hand pubs the boost the industry needs, landlords fear - as punters flock to street parties or watch the event at home with family.

It comes on top of concerns about reduced trade because of the cost of living crisis, and higher staff costs caused by a third May bank holiday.

Christopher Hare, owner and head chef of Hare on the Green in Cambridgeshire said the extra day off this month would not equate to more people visiting pubs as people were already struggling.

The 37-year-old said: "There is not excess change in people's pockets. I think we'll see a dramatic drop-off in trade. People don't have the money."

His fears come as Suffolk-based Greene King pub and brewing company predicted it would pour around 1.8 million pints across its pub estate over the coronation bank holiday.

Research from the pub giant, which runs 1,600 managed sites across the UK, revealed more than a quarter of people (27%) aged 18-34 expected to go to a pub this weekend.

Nick Mackenzie, Greene King chief executive, hailed the upcoming national bank holiday as "exciting" and "a much-needed boost for industry".

But Mr Hare, who has owned his freehold pub and restaurant in Brampton, near Huntingdon, for nearly five years, said: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime television event on Saturday and I think the public will stay in to watch it.

"We are in a small village and know of 20 street parties. Street parties are fantastic but obviously there won't be people going into hospitality venues."

He added the pub, which dates back to 1828 and has 18 staff, would mark the historic occasion because it was home to Brampton Royal British Legion, which included loyal royalists.

But he appreciated not everyone would want to celebrate it.

Mr Hare, who co-owns the pub with his wife Lucy, 43, had extra staff on standby in case it had lots of customers but was not opening on Monday because of the pressures of paying staff extra money, amid a cost of living crisis.

The head chef added costs for the business had quadrupled with energy bills rising from £2,600 a year to £2,000 a month.

He also believed people would be staying in their gardens on Monday to avoid having to spend money, and pubs in towns and villages could suffer more this weekend, compared to city centre pubs.

Graham Gregory, general manager of the historic Fitzwilliam Arms in Stamford Road, Marholm, near Peterborough, said it normally had between 150 and 175 customers eat in the pub on Saturdays.

But just over 30 people had booked for this Saturday and he thought sales would be down approximately a third across the bank holiday weekend, compared to an average Friday to Monday.

Mr Gregory added the Fitzwilliam Arms, owned by Mitchells and Butlers which operates pubs, bars and restaurants across the UK, would not be as badly affected financially because it was part of a major group.

He feared more for the independent pubs and hospitality venues.